GWU throws 1st pitch Friday versus Dayton

BOILING SPRINGS — To say the 2013 Gardner-Webb University baseball squad is cautiously optimistic, well, to the rest of the Big South Conference, that would be sand-baggin’ just a bit.

That’s because coach Rusty Stroupe’s current Runnin’ Bulldog squad — with seven regular starters and a slew of pitchers back — is picked second in the South Division in the league and returns plenty of veterans from last season’s 32-28 roster.

“I’m always careful to never predict,” said Stroupe, the Cherryville native entering his 11th season at the ’Dogs helm. “I’ve been burnt before. I will say we’ve got some guys trying to step up and fill the shoes. We lost four good players and we’ve got a lot of young guys back. We’re also facing the toughest schedule we’ve ever had and hope that prepares us for a stretch run.”

One definite positive sign is that GWU features talent in most basic areas of the game. Whether hitting, hitting with power, speed, pitching or defense — the Bulldogs feel confident they can compete with most opponents.

“Every coach wants that balance between hitting, pitching, fielding and baserunning,” Stroupe said. “What I’ve been most pleased with in practice is we play really good defense. We’ve got a lot of speed there that helps you get to more balls, which makes it more comfortable for pitchers to throw strikes.

“That helps keep you in low-scoring games. We’re not like we were in 2009-10 when we were winning games 10-9.”

The day-to-day grind of a 60-game schedule, both mental and physical, is a challenge for all collegiate teams.

“It’s like what we see with the Division I basketball teams — you see teams get a big win and jump to No. 1, then get knocked off,” Stroupe said. “You can’t get too high after a win or too low after a loss.

“The big wins are exciting, and the tough losses hurt, but you only have overnight to dwell on it because the next day you have to be ready to play again. It’s all in how you handle it.”

Stroupe likes what he sees in practice.

“This group, they are energetic,” said Stroupe. “Most people think a team gets its energy from the coach, but I’m different, I get it from the players. I see them attacking things in practice and having a positive attitude. The energy level I’ve seen is what I want to see on the field in games.”

The tough Big South Conference awaits as well as the non-conference schedule that includes such powers as South Carolina, Clemson and North Carolina, plus Wake Forest and Western Carolina.

“It’s very tough league, you look at the guys you have to knock off,” Stroupe said. “Coastal is the elephant in the room. Campbell shocked everyone finishing second and they have everyone back. It’s like basketball — you never get a night off, it’s a dogfight every time.”